A street in Teheran (photo: Massimiliano Montalti)
"We have recently met with a few Iranian operators in Teheran and with others in Dubai. Teheran is a city with over 8 million inhabitants and the economy is growing. Most of the sanctions that limited trade have been eliminated and 80% of the population is under 35. I believe Italian produce could find an excellent outlet in Iran, especially with the wealthy part of the population, hotels and restaurants. Around 150 hotels will be built over the next 5 years. Logistics-wise, Iran is a market where we can export knowledge and organisational models."
Fresh produce trader in Teheran.
Montalti stresses that Iran must not be "conquered", but rather it must be seen as an ally. Italians are highly regarded, as they have never declared themselves against this Islamic republic during past conflicts.
Dubai
Dubai is an entirely different matter. Money is not an issue - the city has the tallest skyscraper in the world (828 metres high), the 5 lane highways are perfect for Porsches and Ferraris, everything is expensive and three friends in a restaurant spend €400 on something they would pay €100 in Italy.
View of Dubai from Burj Khalifa, the tallest skyscraper in the world.
"Many have dived into Dubai's market head first, but there are still a few possibilities to be taken. The best thing is to become an ally with someone that is already on the market, then you need an innovative product. If they like it, they are ready to pay anything for it, money does not seem to be a problem."